After decades of expecting the best from the Red Wings, is it time to anticipate the worst?

Training camp is a month away, and the Red Wings are getting precious little respect.

The gap between the organization’s past and present was vividly painted in two recent editions of The Hockey News.

In its August 14 edition, the publication listed the top organizations of the 30-team era, which began in 2000 when the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets joined the NHL, and has ended with this season’s addition of the expansion Las Vegas Knights.

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The Red Wings’ 728-367-183 record was easily the best of the 30-team era. San Jose was second (702-410-166). Only Pittsburgh, which captured three Stanley Cup titles compared to Detroit’s two, won more playoff games (100 compared to 92).

But when The Hockey News released its annual yearbook, the prediction is not only the Red Wings will miss the playoffs for the second straight time after a 25-season run, but will finish eighth and last in the Atlantic Division. There are no Red Wings’ players among the Top 50 listed.

When The Hockey News did its ranking of 100 most influential people in the sport early last season, there was a decided Red Wings’ flavor: Brendan Shanahan (No.15), Steve Yzerman (No.25) and Mike Babcock (No.61). Problem is, none of them are currently affiliated with the Red Wings. Toronto (Shanahan team president and Babcock coach) and Tampa Bay (Yzerman general manager) are the benefactors of the Red Wings’ “influence.’’ Late Red Wings’ owner Mike Ilitch was high on the list for many years before his passing. Red Wings’ general Ken Holland used to be, too, but evidently his status in the game has fallen along with Detroit’s place in the standings.

I think the Red Wings have a better shot at making the playoffs than The Hockey News.

The Red Wings had two overwhelming issues last season. Foremost was goaltending. Petr Mrazek was a major disappointment. His attitude, according to multiple sources inside and outside the organization, soured to the point he lost trust in the dressing room. It was mirrored by Mrazek’s subpar and inconsistent performance on the ice. But he is a talented goalie. I expect Mrazek to perform better after no team wanted to trade for him, which is the primary reason, coupled with his $4 million salary, Las Vegas passed on him during the expansion draft.

Jimmy Howard, who has an abundance of competitive character, had a comeback season, but injuries limited it. I can see that combo performing much better.

The often stunning inability of the Red Wings’ defense to move the puck was the other glaring weakness. Trevor Daly, from the Penguins, is older (he will play this season at 34), but was a solid free agent signing. Nick Jensen has time under his belt. Mike Green isn’t a top pairing defenseman anymore, but is still skilled. Those three move the puck relatively well.

It remains to be seen how Danny DeKeyser responds from a decidedly disappointing season, or if 36-year-old Niklas Kronwell, who played better late last season when his knee issues cleared, perform better.

Look for a step forward from a trio of Red Wings’ young forwards: Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Dylan Larkin, and perhaps impact from Evgeny Svechnikov, their first-round pick in 2015.

Better health should help Justin Abdelkader return to at or near 20-goal level. Gustav Nyquist remains a wild card. So is Tomas Tatar, who didn’t start producing consistently in 2016-17 until after the Red Wings became sellers near the trade deadline. The Red Wings nonetheless paid Tatar (four years at more than $21 million) this off season.

It’s disconcerting, however, to see how far the Red Wings have fallen behind teams such as Columbus and Toronto in regard to talent level. Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay remain formidable. If the Red Wings do get into the playoffs, it very likely to be at the lower end.

It’s hardly an ideal situation moving into shiny new Little Caesars Arena, but resiliency has traditionally been a Red Wings’ trait.

The organization’s reputation has justifiably suffered. It’s up to the Red Wings to prove the detractors wrong and win back their creditably.